Home (on the road)

Welcome to Pan and Munchkin’s Blog

Cooking Big..

in a..

tiny kitchen..

Hello, you can call me Pan. I’ve been a professional truck driver since 1991 and cooking for…well a long long time. I have no formal culinary education. But both my parents taught my sis and I well. The creativity and knowledge from them both, made our family meals interesting, sometimes adventurous but most importantly, delicious !!! A few months after I started my driving career, I missed homecooked meals and realized just how unhealthy truckstop food and fast food can be. The only alternative was to pack my own food. Feeling pretty limited about my “eats on the road”, I began to try different methods of cooking in the truck. Some were a complete bust, some are what I use daily in, my tiny kitchen.

My sister (munchkin) decided to join in on the fun and adds recipes that sometimes steps out of the bounds of a tiny kitchen, but are out of this world delicious..

The blog has evolved due to the incredible bloggers on WordPress with challenges in photos and writing.. You can find those in the menu under Response Challenge..

Pitstops, is mostly places my sister and I share with you that are our favorite places..

These are links and brief descriptions of blogs that I read.. With time always on my mind, I can only read so much and these are the ones that move me.. I know these will draw you in too..

I’d like to thank Cynthia for encouraging me to start this blog. I like sharing my food and recipes but never thought about blogging until she suggested it, then reminded me again several more times, lol. I’ve never blogged before, this is all new to me. And I’m not sure how much time I can invest to this experience. But my hope is that I can bring you “mostly healthy”, budget friendly and delicious meal recipes that are easily put together even in the smallest of spaces. Please enjoy and eat well !

” Adversity will never define you, how you handle it most certainly will” My hope is that we will tingle your tastebuds with our offerings.. Pan 😊

In Pitstops is also a video called, The Reason for the Find
Showing Stewie having fun at the river.. I throw 1 stick in and he comes out with 2 😂
He broke it when he slammed it on the water after grabbing it.. Then turns around to grab the other piece.. Makes me laugh everyone I watch it

Psst. I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Please check it out and I hope that you will be able to accept, but if not, I will understand: Link:- http://bit.ly/2mv1rpR
Warm wishes and happy blogging from The Recipe Hunter (Cook&Enjoy)

Leya 🤗 Thank you for the compliment !!! I think you’ll find 90% of my recipes user friendly 😄
I hope you give some of them a try.. One of my favorites is what I should’ve simply titled Dump Chicken, but that name doesn’t sound very appetizing 😂

You truly just dump the ingredients in order with the oven temperature changes and it comes out perfectly tasty.. My most unskilled recipe 👍

I’m recipe greedy 😉
Can I find that recipe on your blog anywhere ? If not, maybe you could make a loaf, take walk through pictures of the process and result.. And if you do, I’d really like to reblog it here 😊

I am really confused. I thought Pan, you were male, and your sister was naturally female. And that you were a truck driver and your sister is retired and living in Florida. I did not know that both of you are truck drivers. 🤔

There are lots of women drivers now.. When I started this career 26 years ago, didn’t see many others out here.. People always asked if it was hard being a woman in a “man’s” job.. It wasn’t.. I’ve heard horror stories of humiliation, trash talk and other obstacles some women faced.. But I didn’t.. The only challenges were some guys would stand and wait for you to screw up getting into a dock.. I wasn’t bothered by it because getting out to look, never embarrassed me.. For some reason a lot of drivers find that beneath them to do.. Until they hit the truck or building next to them.. 😮
This was my 3rd career change.. I call it my retirement career.. As long as I still find joy in it, I’ll probably continue to work past retirement age.. But will probably just do it part time then..

How did you get into it? What did you do before? Plus, how do you have a family life? I wondered how men might treat a lone woman. Do you become “one of the guys?” I am grateful that I enjoy my job. There is nothing more painful than doing a job that you dislike.

I’ll try and do this in the order asked..
1. I went to a vo-tech to learn and get my chauffeurs license (There was no CDL then) .. A company recruited me and I went with a trainer for 8 weeks.. At that point I was assigned my own truck.. The one thing you realize first off is how much you don’t know 😮
But like with anything else, it comes with practice and experience.. There were a lot of nice drivers at the company I started with and I will always be grateful for the lessons, tips & tricks they taught me along the way..
2. What I did before.. I sorted of floated when I graduated H.S., some factory, some office jobs.. It was like a job revolving door.. None interested me in the least.. But the 1st job that made me grow up fast, was being a nanny taking care of a 4yr old and 3 month old baby, who’s parents were truck drivers (I had already had the idea in my head about becoming one because of a friend of my parents).. The week before I moved in, the 4yr old was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with diabetes.. I then was trained by a nutritionist, nurses and the doctor, at the hospital, to care for her needs properly.. Then 6 months later, after fighting with the pediatrician to see her, the baby was diagnosed with diabetes as well.. It was rare that siblings would both become diabetic and so close in time of being diagnosed.. My folks were a big help to me.. I’d take the kids over for dinner a couple times a week. The 2 summers I was their nanny, I’d take them almost daily to swim.. Then their mother hurt her shoulder and had to give up the truck.. They asked me to stay on but it was time to go and learn a new job..
I cleaned carpets and upholstery for a man who needed a fulltime employee and he was willing to train me.. I knew nothing about chemicals, machinery or service work.. He had contacts in high society which really brought some interesting and fun jobs.. Everything I know about customer service I learned from him.. After 6 years, his son began to become very involved in the business, there really wasn’t enough work and I knew it.. I don’t think he would’ve ever laid me off but I could see it was going to become difficult.. So I landed my new career in restoration and decontamination with a shining recommendation from my boss, for something this company was really in need for.. Someone with extensive experience and knowledge with furniture and carpets ! After 8 yrs there, it did not end well.. The cousin of the owner got on my last nerve and I walked out.. To walk into owning a janitorial franchise.. I made great money and paid 2 employees well.. But I was bored and restless.. I trained a married couple to take over the franchise and instead of things getting brighter, they got darker.. Again, my folks were right there for me and I pursued my childhood whimsy of driving a truck.. I never thought seriously about doing it, until I did, and this is the career I’ve stayed in the longest 😄
3. Family life.. I was single when I started driving and visits home were on a, as I could basis.. I married a driver, then divorced him.. I was very happy to be single again.. I’m blessed to have family and friends that are understanding with my life on the road..
4. How men treat a lone woman.. It depends on the man.. I have no patience with disrespect.. Man or woman..
5. Do you become “one of the guys”? No.. You become a driver..😊
You really put me through the paces Carol ! 😂

I’m very happy that you enjoy your career..
There are people who don’t like their jobs but muddle through because they find security or another reason they feel is worth it to stick with it.. I’m not one of those people and I suspect, neither are you..

What a great blog concept. Looking forward to exploring here. My dad was one of those who looked for the big rigs to find the best food on the road, especially if it was off the beaten path (interstate exits). ☺

I had to laugh when I read your user name, I was just sitting in “my van by the river” not an hour ago 😄
I’ll bet you have some stories of the mom and pop places too that he found following the trucks 👍
I hope you enjoy our offerings 😊 and will share any secrets you have on tiny kitchen cooking too !

Hi Pan, it’s a pleasure to meet you!! What a novel idea. My ex-husband was a truck driver and he could have used healthy food on the road because it was a struggle trying to maintain a healthy weight while eating on the run. Have a nice weekend! Steph

Thank you Steph 😊 So true about the food challenges for people in my profession and anyone who is on the road for extended periods of time..
For me the challenge goes beyond diet.. My trust with food handlers is very limited and buffet behavior by patrons has turned me from those, except seafood buffets in nice restaurants.. I like my own cooking and when I fail sometimes, I have only myself to blame 😄

You’re welcome Pan. I hear you on the trust thing, I’m the same way although I enjoy eating out and have to sort of put up a mental block to get through dining at restaurants and I don’t do buffets for the reasons you mentioned. Plus I’m a picky eater. 😉

I’m on the road working until I go home for time off.. I split my time off between visiting my dad and taking time at my cabin, both places 1 a month, 3 days each.. When I’m too close to being out of hours to run by law, I just take a 34hr rest off, wherever I’m at other times in the month.
Trip lengths vary with every trip.. and week to week the miles vary.. a week could be 2000 to 3500 miles, just depends on the freight..

Yes, I sleep in the truck when I’m not home.. I have a comfy memory foam mattress I put together with 2 4inch memory foam toppers.. Sleeps like a dream 😄

Which I have to do now.. 😊

Thanks Carol for having an interest about, inside my tiny kitchen and being on the road 💛

First let me say thank you for stopping my blog….I love thinking that the big truck drivers are eating better…I stop when I am driving at truck stops and you are so correct…there really is nothing healthy at them…I do like they are adding Subways at the stops…..I am looking forward to following your blog….kat

Thanks 👍 Subways are a modest improvement healthwise and I do enjoy a sub occasionally.. And some the truckstop restaurants have added some healthy alternatives.. Which is a great “go to” when I can find a good one when I don’t have time or desire to cook..

It’s the big truckstops that made the food unhealthy in my opinion .. I remember the 76 truckstops having great food at most of them.. It wasn’t exactly healthy but they always had great salad bars and homemade soups and desserts.. The mom n pop truckstops were my favorites when I started driving.. But they shrunk in droves when the big truckstop chains started popping up everywhere..
Back then rvers and other travelers would follow big rigs to the best eats on the road.. Now we follow them in search for good food..
Back in the 60s, I’m thinking your Dad was right 😊

Almost the whole week I’ve been running a split logbook.. Without going into detail of how that works, it can be very tiring.. I haven’t tried much of anything other than reading in my spare time.. its funny too, when the regulations were 10hrs driving and 8hr break, I could do that like clockwork.. I believe the new regs have spoiled me.. or I’m just getting old 😀

But Pan has a plan ! And I hope you like it when I have it all in place on my page.. And I want you to know AND pat yourself on the back because you, Osyth (and Buddy) inspired it.. 👌

I’ve just started a reset.. I get the next 34hrs off.. I’m going to cook and follow thru on my page addition..

Well I’m working on this project right now.. Hopefully it’ll be up soon.. and..um..ermm.. which post are the instructions? Its the linking thing I need.. AND how to make “Who’s Buddy Foster ? ” the link to your site on that post.. 😯 help again please..

I just found your msg in my spam folder.. but I know the only spam I’d get from you is in a can 😁
Thank you so much for the nomination.. I may be a seasoned cook but not a seasoned blogger by any stretch of the imagination.. So your nomination means more to me than you know.. 😊

In the future The Bean will drool over an easy 2 step recipe that’s perfect for tiny kitchens and super healthy for all size dogs. But I need to get permissions and want to add another section dedicated to pet food. She will feel like a princess here lol..
Glad you followed thru on your threat by following 😄
I look forward to your wit seasoning my blog. Thanks !!!

Well, as I threatened I am now following – The Bean (my tiny dog) is very pleased to see a section dedicated to The Mighty Bean (since she feels that is an accurate description of herself). As for me, well foraging round I am finding so much to please …. keep it coming and I’ll keep turning up at your table!